Mitochondrial Disease and the Immune System

Talking points include:

• What is the immune system and why is it important?
• Infection and mitochondrial disease
• Immune function in mitochondrial disease

About The Speaker:

Dr. Peter McGuire

Dr. Peter McGuire received his MBBCh (with Honours) from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 2003. Following a combined residency in Pediatrics and Medical Genetics at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, he remained as an Assistant Professor in the Program for Inherited Metabolic Diseases at Mount Sinai. Dr. McGuire is board certified in Pediatrics, Clinical Genetics and Biochemical Genetics.

In 2010, Dr. McGuire moved to the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the National Institutes of Health to join the Physician Scientist Development Program. He was appointed to the position of tenure track Investigator in 2016.

Throughout his career, Dr. McGuire has been focused on improving the care of patients with disorders of mitochondrial metabolism. By combining his training in Immunology and Biochemical Genetics, he has fashioned a translational research program to understand the interplay between mitochondrial metabolism and the immune system. As Head of the Metabolism, Infection and Immunity Section (MINIS) at NHGRI, Dr. McGuire and his team study the interplay between metabolism and the immune system in patients with inborn errors of mitochondrial metabolism. The group focuses on two aspects of immunometabolism:

1)    Immune system activation and end-organ mitochondrial metabolism

The focus of the group’s research on immune system activation and end-organ metabolism is based on the clinical observation that infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with mitochondrial disease. The MINIS uses animal models, combined with infectious organisms, to yield insights into the metabolic perturbations seen in disorders of mitochondrial metabolism during infection and to identify potential targets for intervention.

2)    Role of mitochondria in immune cell function

The group also studies mitochondrial metabolism and immune cell function. Immune cells drastically alter their metabolic programming during activation and differentiation. The deficiencies present in patients with mitochondrial disease may affect these processes. The group developed a clinical protocol in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center, called the NIH MINI Study: Metabolism, Infection and Immunity in Inborn Errors of Metabolism (NIH Clinical Trial NCT01780168). Immune phenotypes identified in patients are further explored via animal and cell culture model systems. By expanding the immune phenotype of patients with mitochondrial disease, these studies will have an impact on the clinical care of patients as well as serving as the foundation for understanding the role of mitochondria in immune function.